Dr. Mukwege’s film banned by Congo-DR Government

The Democratic Republic of Congo has banned a film
on the work of Dr. Denis Mukwege who has dedicated his life to work with women who
have suffered sexual violence.

“This demonstrates the wish of the government to deny the Congolese people the
right of access to information, in order to better manipulate and control,” said Dr.
Denis Mukwege, a doctor in the Democratic Republic of Congo awarded the 2014 Sakharov
prize and currently a candidate for the Nobel peace prize. He was commenting on the
decision of the government to ban the film titled, "The Man Who Mends Women," dedicated
to his life's work.

“In the Congo-DR, we live in a climate of oppression, diminishing human rights
and a shrinking space for fundamental freedoms,” added the doctor, a surgeon at the
Panzi Hospital in South Kivu that he founded, where he earned his nickname as “The
Man Who Mends Women” for his work with women who have suffered sexual violence during
the over two decade conflict in the region.

The Belgian filmmaker Thierry Michel in fact titled his film with the doctor's
nickname. The film was contested by Kinshasa authorities as “a clear intent to harm
and sully the image of our army.” The Congolese armed forces, as also the numerous
militias, have been repeatedly accused of abuse and serious human rights crimes.